Q. I am a covered law enforcement officer (6c), and I am thinking about taking a promotion to a noncovered position that has a promotion potential to GS-14. I have six years in the 6c covered position and four years in a noncovered position in another agency, plus I bought back my military time (four years). If I were to jump ship, work the noncovered position for a few years, with the intention of coming back to a covered position, would I still be able to retire with special coverage as long as I have 20 years total in a…
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Q. I just received a FERS retirement benefit statement. One of the comments made on the statement is: “A FERS annuity shows a loss in purchasing power because it is not fully protected against inflation after retirement (unless you retired from a special category such as law enforcement or firefighter).” As a law enforcement officer under the special retirement provisions, what is the cost of living allowance? I will be 57 at the time of retirement. I did find something that indicates I will get the cost-of-living adjustment starting right away while regular FERS retirees must wait until they are…
Q. I am a 6c federal employee with a retirement 6c date of Sept. 28, 1996, and because of my 11 years of military service and buyback, I have a retirement service computation date of Aug. 26, 1985. I am four years away from 20 years of 6c time. However, I might have an opportunity to pursue a career in which I could make substantially more with the ability of working until age 65 if I desire. I should also point out that after my 11 years of military service, I continued with the reserves and will obtain a military…
Q. I am going through the hiring process for a couple of federal law enforcement agencies. I am 41; however, I am a veteran’s preference eligible candidate and therefore eligible for an age waiver. As such, the agencies have advised me that hiring of eligible such candidates older than 37 has occurred and is occurring; however, no one can tell me how that affects the mandatory retirement of 57. I have 18 years of military service. roughly half active duty and half reserve time (I am a drilling reservist looking to retire out of the reserves at 20 years). What…
Q. I am employed as a physician with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and am thus considered a law enforcement officer. I plan to retire at age 57 with 16.9 years of service. Will I qualify for a full pension, and will my PCAP be added to calculation of my pension? A. You will be retiring under the MRA+10 provision (minimum retirement age with at least 10 years of service). Therefore, your annuity will be calculated using the standard formula — not the one for LEOs — and it will be reduced by 5 percent for every year you are…
Q. I am just shy of 55 years of age and have 27 years of government service as an 1811 with the Department of Justice. I am considering taking an 1801 position with another agency. How does that affect, if at all, my FERS retirement? A. Once you have completed 20 years of covered service, you can take any other job and work for as long as you feel like it. It won’t affect your entitlement to the more generous law-enforcement officer retirement benefit. Any years beyond 20 will simply be calculated using the standard formula. Note: Once you have…
Q. I served 23 years in the Army and retired in 1999. Sixteen years of that was spent as a special agent with Army Criminal Investigation Command, and the remaining was as a military police officer. I was hired into my current organization as a GS 1811 (law enforcement) in 2002, and, as a result of an age waiver, received primary 6(e) coverage, which allows me to do a full 20 years of 1811 service. Is there any way to get any of my past military time credited as “1811 time,” which would qualify under the 6(e) retirement system so I…
Q. I am working under a non-6c-covered law enforcement position and will turn 37 at the end of this year. I am working on finishing my degree and would like to move into an 1811 position, but the timing will not permit my movement directly into that series. If I move into a 6c position before my 37th birthday, will I be eligible to transfer into an 1811 position (FBI)? I have been looking for an answer for a few days and haven’t had much luck. HR folks at FBI were not sure but did say my SF-50 would have…
Q. I worked 20 years and two months in a covered firefighter position. I then worked two years in a non-covered position. I have returned to a secondary covered position. Do I face mandatory retirement? Or does my break in service allow me to work past 57? Where would I find the answer in the federal regulations or is this decided by case history. A. Yes, you will face mandatory retirement. Go to www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/handbook/C046.pdf and scroll down to Section 46A3.3-2B1, which applies to both CSRS and FERS LEOs and firefighters. Note: That section hasn’t been updated to show that the…
Q. My wife and I are federal employees under FERS. I will be retiring with 25-plus years of service as a federal law enforcement officer this year. I have been enrolled in self and family coverage under the FEHBP during my entire career, and my wife has been covered under my benefit plan during this period. My wife has been employed with the government for a little more than a year in a non-LEO position and plans to remain in her job at least until she reaches MRA, which will give her right at 10 years of service. I do…